Likely Apocalypses: A list

With the Rapture in the news a little while ago, Char asked all our readers what their apocalypse looked like. I commented (as did many others) but thought on it a little more. I spent quite some time thinking, and eventually, I came up with a list of apocalypses, from least likely to most likely. Then I thought of what you and yours could do to survive them.

Religious Apocalypse:

Likelihood: unlikely.
Every religion describes an apocalypse, from the Old Norse Ragnarok to the Biblical Rapture. I don’t mean to tread on any toes here, but the exact Armageddons they describe are extremely unlikely. What with giants roaming the world, or the rains of blood, or the sky falling on our heads, etc. However, it is entirely possible that one of the more likely disasters will occure, and people will simply claim that it was an act of God.Survivability: Very Low.
If you are a sinner, you will be destroyed in one of a number of exciting and dramatic ways. If you are a good member of *insert religion here* you will spend eternity with God.What can I do?
Repent.

Likelihood: Unlikely
Despite all the fascination with zombies and the fact that most people have a zombie survival plan, this is actually probably not going to happen. Yes, you’re going to point me to the government ‘zombie survival’ link- but I’ve looked at that, and it looks like a man who is an expert in transmissible diseases wrote a general DISASTER survival plan and realised more people would read it (and therefore survive) if he zombified it up a little bit.Survivability: Low.
Depends on the type of Zombie, really. Necromantically affected corpses? Diseased humans?What can I do?
Figure out your type of zombie, then put your existing plan into operation. Don’t hang out in a shopping centre.

Genetically Engineered plants:

Likelihood: YES, more likely than zombies.
I’m not talking intelligent, mobile, predatory plants like Day of the Triffids, but more plants bred or tinkered with to be very effective. I live near fields of OilSeed Rape, a very hardy plant that can now be found growing in any hedgerow, and even in the cities, choking out other plant growth. It’s only a matter of time before there’s a plant so successful it chokes ALL OTHER plant growth, and then we’re kind of screwed.Survivability: Low.
Unless the plant is edible and provides nutrients enough for humans AND meat animals, a lot of people will starve to death or die of malnutrition.What can I do?
Build a farm with no way for such a plant to seed. Enclosed in a sealed barn, with air filters to prevent floating seeds and either UV lamps or a reinforced glass ceiling for light. This will probably be enough food for up to half a dozen people.

Hyper-Intelligent Animals:

We already know of several animals that scientists suspect have human-like intelligence. And we aren’t especially nice to things we think threaten our dominance…Likelihood: Increasing.
We’ve already seen some signs- animals are getting smarter as we make surviving harder for them. It’s only a matter of time before the cleverer ones realise we’re the problemSurvivability: Moderate.What can I do?
Make yourself useful. Be kind to all animals you come across, just in case.

Meteor strike:

You know? The thing that probably killed the dinosaurs?Survivability: Low to very low, depending on where you live.
If you live at the strike epicenter, you’re doomed. Anywhere else, you have a slightly better chance.Likelihood: Moderate
The Asteroid Apophis is heading our way for 2036, and has a 1 in 250, 000 chance of hitting us.What can I do?
In 2036, go on a long holiday to high ground (to avoid tidal waves). Make sure you have food and an underground bunker.

World wide flooding. Earthquakes. Natural disasters hit countries all the time, but what if nearly everywhere was hit at once?Likelihood: Moderate.
Really, one of the most likely options.Survivability:
Moderate, if you’re lucky and follow expert adviceWhat can I do?
Make sure you have a disaster go bag: Follow expert disaster survival advice.

Likelihood: Possibly in our lifetime, if we’re unlucky.
Really.Survivability: Depends on where you live, and if you have a survival bunker
Aside from blast waves, nuclear radiation is rather unpleasant.What can I do?
Get a survival bunker. Fill it with food.

What are your most likely apocalypses? What do you think we can do to survive them?

What about the possibility of worldwide political instability resulting in a militant, martial law-instated multiple civil wars. These aren’t very likely at all, but for a few key countries rather than all of them (Like USA and multiple European countries) are very likely to happen in the near to distant future, and the rate of likeliness increases while the possible date of apocalypse decreases. I can’t say most people will survive, but when the “French Disease” Syphilis, people survived it by not having sex with unclean prostitutes, so anything is possible.

Solar flares are likely, they constantly ravage nearby space, political and governmental downfall. extreme economic collapse leads to wars and when that happens we have nuclear warfare on our hands. Global warming; leads to war inevitably. Anything to do with messing with genetics; it’s gonna go to pot.
In our world, any conflict could possibly lead to war, well done humanity